Former Real Housewives of Potomac star Candiace Dillard Bassett is easing into motherhood and spoke to Entertainment Tonight about her journey and fears. During a recent interview, the former reality TV star revealed that her biggest motherhood fear was dying.
“Honestly, I felt like, ‘Could I die?’” she said while chatting with ET. “That was my greatest fear. If I die, he will never know his mom. I would lay in the bed in pain holding him (Jett) and cry… I had a blood clot in my ovary that was causing me a lot of pain. I had to be on blood thinners for eight-10 weeks. It was scary. It was really intense and too much reality. I just wanted to have a baby.”
The 38-year-old revealed she was pregnant in April 2024 and conceived through IVF. She gave birth to her son Jett Maxwell Lee Bassett on October 3.
Dillard Bassett continued, “You’re in such a mom cloud you don’t think about your own health, but you have to remember to check in with your body and listen to your body because you just never know.”
Despite the complications the new mom faced, she’s now in a better spot health-wise and enjoying being Jett’s mom.
“It’s amazing,” she said of motherhood. “I’ll be honest. I’m gonna tell you guys the truth. Motherhood is ghetto. It is the most raggedy, amazing, beautiful, crazy hood I’ve ever belonged to. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but it definitely has its challenges… Jett is the sweetest baby and I would not trade him. He’s everything.”
Candiace had baby Jett with her longtime husband, Chris Bassett. It’s the first child they share together. Chris also has children from previous relationships, including Owen, 22, Mateo, 14, and Naia, 10.
Dillard Bassett may be opening up about her motherhood journey, but she’s not ready to show us baby Jett’s face yet. On Fox 5, the former Miss United States shared that she wants to protect her son for as long as possible.
“It just feels so special to have him all to ourselves, but in the same vein, I know there’s so many people that rooted for us and prayed for us and are excited for us and are excited at the prospect of us having a child, that I knew that I wanted to share with the world that he’s here… but I’m also just very aware of how interesting the world can be, and how scary the world can be,” she said. “And I just want to keep him safe for as long as I can. And protect him for as long as I can.”